In a vibration welding process, e.g., ultrasonic welding, adjacent surfaces of a work piece or multiple work pieces are joined together by applying a calibrated vibration to the work piece. The work piece is clamped while the calibrated vibration is transmitted through its structure. The vibration creates surface friction along interfacing surfaces of the work piece. The resultant heat softens the interfacing surfaces, thus bonding the work piece to form a weld.
A vibration welding system includes various welding tools, including a welding horn or sonotrode which vibrates when energized, and which is connected to or formed integrally with one or more welding pads. The welding pads include knurls or other textured surface features that physically contact the work piece. Similar knurls may be present on an anvil, which is another of the welding tools, with the work piece being tightly clamped between the anvil and the sonotrode. The anvil may also include a relatively large piece of metal providing the required rigidity for opposing the sonotrode, with this additional piece of metal referred to herein as a welder body.